Your Second Amendment rights are an important part of the freedoms you enjoy as a U.S. citizen, so it can be devastating to lose them due to a criminal conviction. The inability to own a firearm can make you feel vulnerable and unable to defend yourself and your family. It can also limit your ability to enjoy certain life activities, like your ability to hunt.
Once you’ve lost those rights, how do you get them back?
It depends on the specifics of your situation
In Minnesota, your right to bear arms may be temporarily revoked for a period of time and then automatically restored once you have completed your sentence, including any term of your probation.
However, that does not hold true if you were convicted or given a delinquency adjudication of a felony-level crime of violence. In those situations, your right to own, use (or even hold) either a firearm or ammunition are gone for the rest of your life – unless the court formally restores your full Second Amendment rights.
The formal appeal to the court is called a Restoration of Civil Rights, and that requires a specific application to the court asking for the judicial restoration of your ability to possess firearms and ammunition despite being a felon.
Your petition will be carefully evaluated to determine if there is good cause to restore your rights. If approved – great! If not, however, you have to wait another three years before you can petition the court again. That makes it particularly important to have experienced legal guidance in your corner as you go through this process.